Flexible spring shackle mounting



Oct. 10, R c STQLTE v FLEXIBLE SPRING SHACKLE MOUNTING Filed May 29, 1929 f WM W 155,;

rsirED; AT S "PAT NT i- E a e F EX BLE PRING snAoKLaMoUnTING Richard C. Stolte, Lansing, Mich, assignor to-- General" Motors Corporation, Detroit,'Mich., a corporation of Delaware I V l, V Application May 29, 19.29. [Saar mama s Claims. (or. 267 43) In a 'well" constructed automotive vehicle, is described the preferred embodiment of 'my which isprovided-"with semi-elliptic front loadinvention which is illustrated'in the accompanycarryingleaf springs-which are connected at ing drawing. 1 their front ends to the side members of the r In the drawing:; 2

5 chassis frame by pivot bolts and at their rear Figure 1 is a view showing, in side elevation, 5 ends tothe side members of the chassis frameby the frontend of the steering side of the chassis shackles, steering wheel kick results principally of an 'automotive vehicle. r 7 ,1 from three causes, viz, front wheel tramp, front Figure 2 is an enlarged view taken as indicated wheel shimmy, and the; movement of the road by the line 2-,2 of Figure 1. I. j1 wheelvihich is carried'loy thesteering knuckle .JFigureB is afragmentary section taken on 55 which cairiesth'e steering arm'whenit encounthe line -3-3 of Figure 2. v I ters a bump-in the road. Frontjwheel-tramp In the drawing, the reference-character 10 and front wheel shimmy, in themselves; without indicates ithegchassis frame of an automotive regard to their effect on steering, are highly vehicle, whos e front end'issupported by dirigible objectionable. i I wheels 27 through steerin 'knuckles 28, an axle 7i) Steering wheel kick which results from the ll'andsemi-elliptic leaf springs 12. On the causes mentioned aboveg-front wheel tramp and steering knuckles 28, there are provided arms frontwheel shimmy," can be greatly reduced, 33 which are interconnectedby a'tie rod 32-and if not entirely eliminated, by connecting the' on onerof which there isprovided an extension 120' front end of the front springon'the side of the "29 whichis connected to a steering gear not vehicle on which the'steering arm is provided shown) through a drag link SO andan-arm-Bl. on the steering knuckle to the chassis'frame by At'its front end, each of the springsil2 is conmeans which allows alimited amount of renested to" the front end of the chassis frame-by siliently opposed movement of the spring and meansof a shackle 13, which'is connectedtothe the adjacent ender? the front axle, longitudinally adjacent side member of the chassis frame by g of the spring. It is, however, preferable tov means of a pivotbolt 1e and to the'spring by shackle the frontsprings at their front instead means of a pivot bolt 15. Y 1

of their rear ends, and to securethe rear end The eye 16 at the rear end of the load-early of the spring on the side of the vehicle on which ing spring 12 on the side of the vehicle on which 30' the steering arm is provided 'on the steering: the steering arm is provided on the steering knuckle to the chassis frame by means which knuckle is formedon the second'leaf from the 1 allows a limited amount of resiliently opposed top and the top leaf 1? is made of sufficient movement of the spring andthe adjacent end length to extend a substantial distance outwardly of the front axle longitudinally of the spring. beyond the eye. To connect the rear end of this '35 My invention relates generally to devices for spring to the adjacent side member of" the so connecting an end of a leaf spring to a supportchassis frame, there is provided a bracket '18, ing'or supported member so as to allow alimited which is secured to the side member of. the amount of resiliently opposed movement-of the frame by rivets 19, and on which is, formed a spring longitudinally of itself, and particularly, depending lug 20.

40 to such a device which is peculiarly adapted for The shackle 21 consists of a pair of generally .95 use in connecting anend of the front spring,' cruciform links'22, of which the upper ends of which is located on the side of the vehicle on the vertical-arms are-disposed on opposite sides which the steering arm is provided on the steerof the lug 20 and pivotally connected thereto by ing knuckle, to the chassis frame so as to elimia pivot bolt 23. The lower ends of the'vertical nate steering wheel kick, front wheel tramp and arms of the shackle links are disposed on oppo- 190 a front wheel shimmy. site sides of the spring 12 and are connected The invention resides inthe provision of a thereto by means of apivot bolt 24 which exdevice for connecting an end of a leaf spring to tends through the links andtheeye 16 of the the frame of an automotive vehicle in such a spring. The outer ends of the cross arms of the manner as to cause distortion of the spring shackle links are connected by rivets 25 on which upon movement of the spring longitudinally of are journalled rollers 26 which, when'the spring itself. 12 is loadedunder normal conditions, bear For a better understanding of the nature and rather lightly on the upper side of the top leaf the objects of the present invention, reference '7. 551s made to the following specification in which While vertical forces applied to the shackles '11-0 21 through the spring 12 will have no tendency to cause it to swing about the pivot 23 through which it is connected to the bracket 18, any movement of the spring longitudinally of itself will tend to cause the shackle to swing about the pivot 23. Any such movement of the shackle will cause one of the rollers 25 to hear more heavily than the other on the upper leaf 17 of the spring 12 and the leaf 17 to be bent between the pivot bolt 24 and the roller 26 which bears most heavily against it. The leaf 17 will resiliently oppose any force tending to bend it and consequently the movement of the spring longitudinally of itself will be resiliently opposed and steering wheel kick, frontwheel tramp and front wheel shimmy will be eliminated.

Although I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this has been done merely by way of example and not by way of limitation, and that the scope of my invention is to be limited only by the appended claims. 1

I claim:

1. In an automotive vehicle which includes a chassis frame an axle, steering kunckles connected to opposite ends of the axle, a steering arm secured to one of the steering knuckles, and

' semi-elliptic leaf springs for supporting the chassis frame from the axle: means for connecting'thespring on the steering side of the vehicle to the side member of the chassis frame, including a shackle pivotally connected at one end to the chassis frame and at its opposite end to one end of the spring, a shackle pivotally connected at one end to the chassis frame and at its opposite end to the other end of the spring, and means associated with one of the shackles so as to cause distortion of the spring upon longitudinal movement thereof.

2. The invention claimed in claim 1 in which the last-mentionedmeans is associated with the rear shackle.

3. In an automotive vehicle, a chassis frame, a load-carrying leaf spring, a free swinging shackle between one end of the spring and the frame,

and a shackle pivotally connectedto the other end of the spring and to the chassis frame, and having portions adapted to bear against portions of the spring on opposite sides of its pivotal connection therewith so as to cause distortion of the spring when the spring moves longitudinally of itself. V

4. In an automotive vehicle, a frame, a loadcarrying leaf spring, an eye formed on an intermediate leaf of the spring, a shackle pivotally connected to the frame, a pivot member extending through the shackle and the eye of the spring, and means on said shackle adapted to bear against the upper leaf of the spring so as to cause distortion thereof when the spring moves longitudinally of itself.

5. In an automotive vehicle, a chassis frame,

a load-carrying leaf spring,-an eye formed on an,

intermediate leaf of the spring, a cruciform shackle, a pivot member extending through one end of one armof the shackle and the frame, a pivot member extending through the opposite end of the same armof the shackle'and the eye of the spring, members extending through the opposite ends of the other arm of the shackle, and rollers journaled on the last-mentioned members and bearing against the upper face of the upper leaf of the spring. r

v 6. In a motor vehicle, a chassis frame, a load supporting spring therefor, a free swinging shackle between the frame and one end of the spring, and a driving, connection between the frame and the other end of the spring, said last I mentioned connection being normally immovable R. o. STOLTE. 

